1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to improvements in horseshoes and in the performance of a horse resulting from the improved horseshoe when nailed to the hoof of the horse, and more particularly, to an improved groove structure in the ground engaging surface of the horseshoe wherein walls of the groove have a specific angle, width, and angular extension that cooperate to receive, center and form an interlocking engagement with the nails to attach the shoe to the hoof and also, in use, funnel earth into the groove whereby to increase traction of the horseshoe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A properly designed horseshoe is an important piece of equipment, which can enhance the horse's racing performance and can add years to the length of the horse's racing career. When a horse is running, its hooves hit the ground with a great deal of impact.
As such, the major reasons that a horse is shod, or the purposes of a horseshoe are, to protect the horse's hooves against injury, to aid in traction, or to change the gait, balance or way a horse moves.
The horseshoe must be firmly attached to the hoof but not impair the normal circulation of the horse's hooves. As such, locating the nail receiving passages in the horseshoe relative to the ground-engaging surface of the horse's hoof and frog portion is an important consideration in the design of a horseshoe.
A traction device is anything added to a shoe to enhance or increase traction and may comprise special nails, heel calks, toe calks, grabs, jar calks, swedges, and Memphis bars, to name a few.
A swedge or crease refers to a lengthwise indentation in the web of a horseshoe, which fills with dirt and gives the horseshoe more traction than the parent material of the shoe alone. The ridges formed by the swedge may be the same height (rim shoes), higher outside (barrel racing shoes), or higher inside (polo shoes). The swedge is used to increase traction; the relative surface heights created by the swedge, to determine breakover.
A fullered shoe has a crease that starts at one heel and ends on the opposite heel and the outer and inner rims are of the same height. The crease goes all the way around the shoe. This type of shoe is also called a full swedge shoe. With the crease being so much larger the traction gain by this type of shoe is greater.
A rimmed shoe such as a barrel racing shoe has a full swedge. However, the outer rim of the shoe is higher than the inner rim. This is to facilitate greater traction in sand and dirt arenas were most barrel racing takes place.
Another widely used rim shoe is the polo shoe. It is a full swedge shoe with a higher inner rim. This is to facilitate greater traction on a turf surface. Many Farriers use a polo shoe on barrel racers, as the higher inner rim interferes less with the breakover of the hoof.
FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C illustrate, respectively, illustrate the cross-section of a fullered, barrel racing, and polo horseshoes.
While possibly suitable for the purposes intended, these prior art horseshoes are not believed to be completely adequate in locating and locking the nails, and funneling dirt into the well of the crease (or swedge) and increase traction.
Indeed, oftentimes a minor change in the design of a horseshoe will result in a significant, and indeed unexpected, improvement in the performance of the horse wearing such horseshoe.
A design change may not only improve the performance but also lessen injuries. The impact of the hoof with the ground when the horse is running is transmitted through the shoed hoof and up through the horse's legs. Unless great care is taken to protect the horse's legs and hooves against impact, the horse can develop sore feet and lame legs due to corns, cracks, and other damage.
Further, it is known that the hooves of a horse exhibit a so-called hoof mechanism, which results in the rear half of the hoof to narrow, when the leg is lifted, and to expand, when the horse puts its leg down. A badly functioning hoof mechanism hampers blood circulation in the foot, which inhibits the formation of a health hoof. As such, the horse may experience soreness in its hooves and legs partially because a rigid horseshoe will inhibit the natural deformation of the hoof.
Accordingly, the object of this invention is the provision of an improved horseshoe that obviates disadvantages of prior horseshoes.